Henry august bierle-y



(No Model.)

H. A; BIERLEY;

PNEUMATIC BILLIARD CUSHION. No. 558,892. Patented Apr. 21, 1896.

Q I J 7&2.

JIJ J WITNESSES IJVVEJV'TOR Q U77 5 6/1646? 12 Afforney IINTTED STATESPATENT OFFICE,

HENRY AUGUST BIERLEY, OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOSAMUEL IIAROIIAIV, OF SAME PLACE.

PNEUMATIC BlLLlARD-CUSHION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,892 dated April 21,1896. Application filed February 26, 1896. serial No. 539,782. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY AUGUST Binn- LEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Portsmouth,in the county of Scioto and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBilliarcb'lables; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,referencebein g had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l of the drawings is a plan view of IS billiard-table withinvention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through edgeportion of same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through outer hollow cushionuninfiated.

The obj ect of this invention is to provide an improved cushion forbilliard-tables which is capable of giving a quicker and better actionto the balls than those heretofore in use, and which will not becomeimpaired in its action or dead after being in use for a time; and theinvention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts,all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claim.

My invention more particularly consists in 0 providing a pneumaticinflatable cushion, such as shown in the accompanying drawiu gs, whereinThe letter A designates an outer tube or hollow strip of rubber, insideof which is 3 5 placed an inner inflatable tube B of similar but thinnermaterial. This cushion may be secured to the cushion-rail O of the tablein any suitable manner. I prefer, however, to cement the outer part A toa strip D, as shown, such strip being suitably secured to the table orto the rail 0.

E is a valved nipple or tube by means of which the tube B is inflated.This may be located at any suitable point.

, 5 F is a pressure-gage which is connected with the inner tube, asindicated at f. This gage is preferably seated in a cavity of the rail Oand is protected by a glass G, through which the degree of pressure canbe ascer- 5o tained.

The outer partA is preferably of triangular or sector shape incross-section, with its convex face seated in the concavity of the stripD in such a position that its upper side is horizontal and substantiallyflush with the 5 5 upper surfaces of the rail F and strip D, while itsthird side forms a receding cushion-face. The angle or corner formed bythe upper and cushion sides of the strip is usually rounded off, asindicated. ('0

The cavity for the tube B is of comparatively small diameter inproportion to the total cross sectional area of the strip and is sodisposed therein as to leave the thickest wall at the convex side. Thecushion and upper walls are of substantially the same thickness, inorder to secure uniformity of expansion. Inasmuch, however, as thesewalls are necessarily thinnest at the points Z) I), I prefer to make thesurfaces at these points somewhat 7o hollowing or concave, in order thatwhen expanded they will not project beyond the planes of the respectivesides of the strip, but will expand flush therewith. Such projection orundue expansion is undesirable upon the cushion or contact face of thestrip for the reason that it would be apt to cause too large an area ofcontact with the balls, and it is also objectionable at the top for thereason that it is desired to have a perfectly level surface for the cueto slide on or for the hand to rest upon. These objections are overcomeby the hollowing or concave construction described. Moreover, I amenabled to employ an inflatable tube of larger diameter relatively than8 5 would otherwise be possible, since the increased expansion at thepoints Z2 Z2 is compensated for by the said feature of construction.

The cushion maybe made in sections suitc ably united, the air-chamber ofthe inner tube being continuous around the table. This cushion canalways be kept inflated to the proper degree, and its action upon theballs is much superior to that of the ordinary cush- 5 ion owing to itsgreat sensitiveness or elasticity.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-' The herein-described improved pneumaticcushion for billiard-tables and the like, con- IOO sisting of an outerhollow strip of rubber of triinflatable tube Within the said strip,substan- 1o angular or sector shape in cross-section, and tially asspecified.

having the outer surfaces of its expansible In testimony whereof I affixmy signature upper and cushion Walls slightly hollow or conin presenceof two Witnesses.

cave, to compensate for the undue expansion A T 1 T of such Walls, andwhereby, When the strip is HENR1 AUGUSq BIERLEX inflated the saidsurfaces Will not project bclVitnesscs:

yond the planes of the respective sides of the WM. H. XVILLIAMS,

strip, but will expand flush therewith, and an .l. P. PENDUM.

